


things like memories

by oikawakkun



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Light Angst, Minor Injuries, POV Second Person, Rated for cursing, no beta we just die, nothing too graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:09:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25767964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oikawakkun/pseuds/oikawakkun
Summary: It comes like a shot in the dark, like a stray bullet that derailed from its assigned path and it hits something else entirely. He was trying to reach the ball in time for thatonepoint to push the team forward and you know he wasn't going to make it. But he still went after the ball, of course he does. Surprisingly, he makes it in time to get the ball on the other side of the court.What shocks you though is what happens after that.
Relationships: Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu
Comments: 15
Kudos: 84





	things like memories

**Author's Note:**

> a big thank you to jj and jena, who took the time to listen to me ramble on about this dream I had regarding the miya twins and gave me the push to actually write it. so once again, let's forget the fact that i still have 3 unfinished aus on twitter and just enjoy another miya twins fic (bc their sibling dynamic is what keeps me going)

_"In this life we will never truly be apart. For we grew to the same beat of our mother's heart."_

_— Daphne Fandrich_

You weren’t really thinking about anything in particular during the match, just whatever you’ll be having later for dinner once the match was over.

It’s the third set and you’re tired to the bone, but you need to win this one to move Inarizaki forward to the next match in the spring tournament. The team you’re up against wasn’t as well known as Karasuno or Itachiyama, but they made it here for a reason— their blocks are fucking dangerous.

Atsumu has been on edge since the other team’s setter got two points in from a dump during the second set and he hasn’t been able to properly focus since.

_What a pain_ , you think as the other team scores with another block.

You hear Atsumu curse, but that’s only to be expected once the score changes to 24-23, in the other team’s advantage. You hear a whistle blow, signaling for your team's last time out and you head towards the bench where your coach and other teammates stood with Atsumu trailing behind slowly.

Atsumu's always been passionate about volleyball. Always the first one to start morning practice among the second years with the same irrepressible hunger as he pushes himself to keep improving, to keep moving forward. Becoming Inarizaki's captain during your third year was only natural for him. But seeing him now, with his back to you, as he nodded along to whatever instructions your coach was giving him, it reminded you too much of that one time Ma scolded him for breaking the living room vase while he practiced on his own.

He cried the whole time, too scared about Ma stopping him from practicing than being sorry about breaking the vase in the first place. You've only ever seen him look that dejected twice. The second time was a lot worse when you told him about quitting volleyball after graduation. Seeing him like this now, with his shoulders hunched, you can't help but start to worry.

But he turns to you as the whistle blows, with new found determination burning in his eyes as he gives the team one of his more genuine smiles. And when he says "Let's win this." you have no choice but to nod in agreement.

Turns out you got worried for nothing as that same look of hunger was back on his face. You stop worrying about him then, reassured and a little bit proud that his focus on the game is back and just as intense as ever without much coaxing from anyone. You stop looking at him after that and start to focus on the match yourself, readying your stance for the next serve.

The match continues with Atsumu leading the team to score another point, tying the scores. The crowd erupts with cheers and you hear them scream Atsumu's name.

_"Just two more points"_ your mind tells you, _"and_ _all of this will be over"._ You remind yourself as the ball flies over to the other side of the net.

Every thing after that was too fast for you to comprehend right away. It comes like a shot in the dark, like a stray bullet that derailed from its assigned path and it hits something else entirely. He was trying to reach the ball in time for that _one_ point to push the team forward and you know he wasn't going to make it. But he still went after the ball, of course he does. Surprisingly, he makes it in time to get the ball on the other side of the court, scoring Inarizaki another point.

What shocks you though is what happens after that.

Atsumu's body laying motionless on the floor as he held onto his ankles painfully. Everyone saw him leap into the crowd in an attempt to save the ball, but what you saw was the way his feet landed on the floor and how _wrong_ it looked.

You were the first one to reach him, already placing your hands on his ankles to asses the damage. He pushes your hand away weakly, offering you reassuring words that go past your ears because all you could think of was the way his hands are shaking from gripping your arms too tight and the way he had to cough to hide a pained sob from escaping his lips. You continue to stare, unable to look away from the way his ankle's are starting to bruise.

"I'm fine 'Samu," Atsumu tells you as he attempted to stand up on his own. "Let's get back in the game," he starts walking, poorly hiding the limp in his steps. "Yer makin' a scene lookin' at me like that." you hear him say and the smile he gives you is what makes you drag him to the bench, ignoring his shouts and protests.

"It's a fucking sprain, 'Tsumu," You tell him as he refuses to sit on the bench "Sit your ass down so you don't make it any worse for fuck's sake." He still refuses to listen, insistent on playing until the end of the match.

"Can't you see how much of a problem you're causing?" You shout, frustrated enough at your brother for being so damn stubborn and at the match for taking so long to end, but mostly at the obvious swelling forming on Atsumu's ankles because of his stupid recklessness.

"Consider this a vacation," You start, pushing him to sit down and _understand_. You try to be the voice of reason between the two of you and hope that your brother listens for once, "You've been taking the captain role way too seriously, 'Tsumu. Just let us take care of the rest."

"Not when we need one more point to win!" Atsumu shouts, ignoring the many stares and looks they're getting from their teammates and coach. "We can do this without you!" You shout back, refusing to feel guilty about the hurt look on Atsumu's face. Silence fills the space between the two of you as you both refuse to back down from each other's glares. The silence is only broken when Atsumu looks at you with all the sureness in the world as says he'll still keep playing. And that finally struck a nerve as you pull him by the collar to get his attention.

"Stop being such a selfish ass and just go the the clinic." You tell him, anger makes your voice crack and you refuse to let him bullshit his way out of this one, not when there's too many things at stake. Because this is Atsumu you're talking to, your insufferable twin brother, who can't understand how useless he'll be in the match with a busted ankle, who can't even understand the worry on your voice, or how much this would affect his play later on if he kept on playing his injury off as something trivial with little importance.

"Just let me play with ya until the end, 'Samu!" he shouts, his voice is a mixture of anger and something close to breaking. What throws you off guard is when you see actual tears falling from his eyes, he tries to wipe them away quickly with his shirt as he continues, "Ya can't tell me to stop playing now," he says in between sobs, "not when this is our last game together."

"Ya can't take this away from me too." He finishes quietly, voice only a whisper as he refuses to look away, snot and tear stains be damned. 

You look at him for the longest time, unsure of what to say as memories of your previous fight comes flooding through your mind. The idea that leaving him alone was enough to make Atsumu this scared and desperate to continue playing volleyball with you is as big of a surprise to you as the fact that your brother was willing to pour his whole heart out in front of the entire team. 

But you've made your decision long before his injury and his tears, even if he needs you a little more than you need him. You can't keep on living a life of compromise for Atsumu, you know this a little more than he does right now and that's why you make it a point to get the message across, no matter how painful it will be for your brother. Because you both promised to live the happier life, and Atsumu won't be happy if you keep holding him back by trailing after him and his love for volleyball, he needs to grow on his own.

"Look, "Tsumu." You start, ready to try and make him understand one more time. "When you're out here going against monsters like Karasuno and Itachiyama, you don't need things like memories." you see his eyes widen for a moment as he looks at you and then to the school banner hanging proudly as the crowd continues to cheer.

It takes a while for him to sober up from the tears but when he looks back to meet your eyes, you feel a sense of relief wash over you because he nods once and finally lets the assistant coach take him to the clinic without a single protest.

You watch him limp to the door and only look away once his figure is completely out of sight. The match continues on like nothing had ever happened. You take the position of substitute captain and for the first time during a match, you only focus about winning the game, the thought of whatever food you'll be eating later for dinner is forgotten.

It takes another hour to get that one point advantage, but you're so close, you can feel it. You hear the cheers of the crowd match the blood pumping in your veins and you let the voices of your teammates push you forward as you take your stance. The ball in your hand is a firm reminder that this is your chance to prove all of Atsumu's efforts to earn you that score won't be in vain. With your mind set, you get ready to serve.

The sting from the ball was the only thing you could think about as you watch the ball fall dangerously close to the line. You don't really pray for things like luck, but you try anyway. And when you see the ball drop to the floor and the line judge pointed the flag down towards the line, you stop breathing for a moment as your entire teammate dogpiles on top of you.

Inarizaki wins the match, scoring 35-33 and you are once again tired to the bone. But this time, you're feeling something else as you watch Atsumu make his way back to the team from the clinic. You feel it burning within you, deep within the hard hot ball sitting under your breast bone, a sense of pride that nothing else can ever compare to once you see him staring at the score board with a look of awe only volleyball can bring him.

He doesn't thank you, and he doesn't have to. He just smiles, all soft with something raw and tender as he looks at you and the whole team with tears in his eyes.

"Ya know, 'Samu." Atsumu starts, when the two of you are laying in bed that night after the match. The clock reads 12:00 mn but you can't bring yourself to sleep yet, not when Atsumu's been keeping you up all night anyway. "I'll be fine on my own." He finishes with all the assurance of a twin who's been relying on you for the past seventeen years. The whole statement makes you snort and that earns you a pillow thrown to your head which you easily avoid, but you smile anyway.

"You won't," You tease, enjoying the way his face scrunches up in anger at the challenge. "But you'll get there eventually, 'Tsumu." And when you tell him this, it's with all the assurance of a twin who's seen his hunger and never ending drive for improvement for the past seventeen years.

So when you told him _you don't need things like memories_ , what you meant to say was: you don't need your twin brother to hold you down.

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to come scream at me on twitter if you want! (@oikawakkun)


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